Category: things

The Unknown Future

On By Northern Lights Publishing HouseIn #friendships, attitude, blessings, discouragement, emptiness, Fear, forgiveness, Heaven, judging, Loss, patience, Satan, Saved from hell, sin, temptation, things, victoryLeave a comment

The scripture for today, June 20 (6/20), is Matthew 6:20f as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

Road to Heaven-COVER-KINDLE-MEDIUM“But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

In describing heaven, terms are used like pearls, diamonds, emeralds, gold, and so on. So, certainly, God is not against riches. Otherwise, he would not have described heaven with those terms.

So, what is the problem? Ask yourself, “If I lost everything tomorrow, could I face life?.”  You may say yes, but what about your friends? They may not want to associate with someone with nothing. So, it is not only a greed problem but a social problem. It is a problem of losing both your possessions and your friends.

Some have solved this problem by moving out into the country where possessions and social status don’t mean so much. Or you could stay where you are and just change your choice of friends. Your new friends may be truer friends than you ever had before and may need you more.

Lastly, if you lost your job, your car, your home ~ your identity ~ would you be so devastated that you would contemplate suicide as some have done? Or would you be able to look around and see what you can do without being paid and a job to occupy your time?

There are always things you can do for others. Is that truly where your heart is? In that case, loss of everything would not bring catastrophe. Rather, it would give opportunity to reveal what stuff you are made of deep down inside where your true treasure is ~ in your heart.

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Road to Heaven-COVER-KINDLE-THUMBNAILTHE ROAD TO HEAVEN.  It’s a long road.  It began in the Gaden of Eden.  What has it taken to get you forgiven?  It’s been a long battle between God and Satan, both of which are trying to get you on their side.  And the logistics God worked out:  He’s always fooling Satan.  Satan does not understand God. So, even though he thinks he is winning, he is not. To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this……….https://bit.ly/Road-To-Heaven                                           https://northernlightspublishinghouse.com/the-road-to-heaven/

Be a hero to yourself: Hang on.

On By Northern Lights Publishing HouseIn #Handicaps, attitude, death, discouragement, emptiness, faith, Heaven, Inspirational, Loss, patience, problems, things, weaknessLeave a comment

The scripture for today, July 13 (7/13), is in Job 7:13ff in the Old Testament of the Bible:

Inside-COVER-lg thumbnail“When I think my bed will comfort me and my couch will ease my complaint, even then you frighten me with dreams and terrify me with visions so that I prefer strangling and death, rather than this body of mine. I despise my life; I would not live forever. Let me alone; my days have no meaning.”

Job was extremely depressed. It happens to everyone sometimes. His depression was certainly valid ~ he had lost all his income and all his children in a recent storm. Now he had what the Bible translated as “boils” but the symptoms indicate he had a form of leprosy called Elephantiasis.

This particular form leads to nightmares in addition to the physical problems. Job had every right to be depressed. So depressed was he, that he no longer wanted to live, for his life no longer had meaning.

But, as miserable as Job was, he hung on. Patiently he hung on during the bad times. Sometimes during your bad times, the greatest thing you can do is “hang on” ~ be patient.

Romans 8:28 says all things work together for good to those who love the Lord. Job loved the Lord. Even in his misery and desire to die,  he continued to love God and trust Him.

And, although at such times you may believe your misery will never end and you will never even smile again, it will happen. The misery comes to an end. It did for Job. He got his health and income back and more children to comfort him. God will see you through too.

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Inside-COVER-lg thumbnailINSIDE THE HEARTS OF BIBLE WOMEN.  What did Job’s wife endure with the loss of all her children? What did she go through as she watched her husband suffer physically and mentally. What was her own anguish?  The word “barek” translated “curse” is always translated “bless” everywhere else in the Bible.  Do you suppose she finally said, “Husband, it’s okay if you die.  I’ll be all right.  Just keep blessing God and go to him in comfort.” Read the story of Job’s wife and other women in the Bible and how they handled their own challenges.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://bit.ly/HeartsBibleWomen                                                                      https://northernlightspublishinghouse.com/1107-2/my-book-inside-the-hearts-of-bible-women/

 

What are you doing for your country?

On By Northern Lights Publishing HouseIn Daily, ego, ethics, good works, governments, judging, power, sin, thingsLeave a comment

00-cover-kindle-medium-newThe scripture for today, May 24 (5/24), is Amos 5:24 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

“Let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream.”

When individuals of a nation begin taking advantage of each other, the nation loses its standard of justice. Eventually, nations fall because of it ~ maybe not right away, but eventually.

Although acting justly may decrease someone’s income or status or power, that just act will spur your nation to roll on and on like a river.

Injustice is not impersonal. Injustice begins with you. One person at a time until eventually, an entire nation falls. On the other hand, justice also begins with you. One person at a time.  That’s what will make your nation roll on and on like a never-failing stream.

What are you doing for your country?

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00-Cover-KINDLE-Thumbnail-NewAPPLIED CHRISTIANITY:  A HANDBOOK OF 500 GOOD WORKS.  Letter writing, benevolence, works for and by the handicapped, newcomers, military personnel, university students, works for Bible school class children to do, crafts, keeping your home, workplace by employee and employer, church office, worldwide missionary work, works for seniors, assisted-living homes, nursing homes, loss of loved ones, telephoning, prayer warriors, prayer partners, home Bible studies.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://bit.ly/APPLIEDCHRISTIANITY                https://northernlightspublishinghouse.com/1107-2/my-book-applied-christianity/

You all fill my heart

On By Northern Lights Publishing HouseIn #friendships, death, family, Heaven, joy, judging, love, rest, thingsLeave a comment

0-Titus-Cover-MediumThe scripture for today, May 15 (5/15), is Ecclesiastes 5:15 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

“Naked a man comes from his mother’s womb, and as he comes, so he departs. He takes nothing from his labor that he can carry in his hand.”

As most people enter their senior years, they finally understand this verse. In their youth, they struggled to get jobs and status and things. Some accomplished it, and some didn’t. But in the senior years….

when health is gradually declining….

the world is passing them by….

and they are sitting in their chair most of the time

….the main thing people look back on is what difference they made in their world, and how they did or did not help people important to them.

Often in their senior years, when their income goes down, and they are living only on a small pension, and they are unable to keep their big house, and fancy car, and impressive stuff, they realize they are still the same person inside regardless of what they own.

Ask a senior what they want for a birthday present. It is not likely to be things. It is likely to be time spent with a loved one or something special given to someone in need.

What about you?  How much time are you spending on things?

Button-Divider Line

I wrote this about twenty year ago when I was a young 61.  Yesterday I turned 81.  I went shopping to buy myself a birthday present, but didn’t see anything I wanted.  Instead, I looked through the 340+ birthday greetings I received on my two Facebook pages — friends I hadn’t seen in decades, strangers who loved me, delightful pictures, sweet verses.  You were my birthday gifts.  With you I had all I needed or wanted.  You all fill my heart.

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0-Titus-Cover-Lg ThumbINTREPID MEN OF GOD.  TITUS: THE ARISTOCRAT. Titus is  born of privilege, surrounded by luxury in the family palatio, and a graduate of the university at Pergamum. His father is the supreme judge of Antioch and Flamin of Apollo, while his mother is Flaminica of Apollo’s Muses.  His ambition is to become important like his father and qualify for the purple border on his own white toga. Then he meets the Apostle Paul and becomes a Christian. He gives it all up to travel to church and places where Jesus is yet unknown.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://bit.ly/TitusAristocrat-8 

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Ten thousand times ten thousand

On By Northern Lights Publishing HouseIn Daily, Enemies, eternity, Fear, forgiveness, healing, Heaven, love, persecution, praise, prayer, Saved from hell, Thanksgiving, things, worshipLeave a comment

00-PAUL COVER-Medium-Holy! Holy! Holy! Because of you, Lord God, thieves stop stealing and rise up to call you holy.  Because of you, liars stop lying and raise their voices to call you holy. Because of you, drunks stop drinking and stand up to declare you holy.  Because of you, murderers stop murdering and lift their hearts to announce you holy. Because of you, the selfish stop hoarding and release all they own to  you holy. You are life in its purest form.

The deepest reaches of my soul praise you, Lord God.  I would burst if I could not.  When I awake, night merges into morning and I extol you for a new dawn. When I walk about through my day, I exalt you. When I lie down to sleep at the end of the day, I worship you. You are my breath, my heart beat, my reason for being.

Ah, my glorious God, you give me all things that I need and more. Above all, you gave me salvation from hell. With that I have all things. Though I grow depressed sometimes over human events and material things that do not work out, I remind myself that I still have heaven with You.  That is worth ten thousand times ten thousand more than earthly concerns. At the end, I will rise up and be always at your service as you rule supreme over all worlds. And forever worship you.

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00-PAUL COVER-Thumbnail-INTREPID MEN OF GOD.  PAUL: THE UNSTOPPABLE. After terrorizing Christians, Paul joins them.  Walk with him over twenty years of crisscrossing the often hostile Roman Empire, challenging pagan priests and trying to convince Jewish rabbis to listen to him. Understand what Barnabas, Silas, Timothy, and Dr. Luke go through to keep this man alive to do what he has to do. With Paul, it is never enough. What drives him? Why can he not stop?  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://bit.ly/UnstoppablePaul   

Book 2 ~ Paul: The Unstoppable

 

You’re not home yet

On By Northern Lights Publishing HouseIn #friendships, Daily, ego, governments, persecution, problems, thingsLeave a comment

Pearls Cover-Palms-300dpi-MediumThe scripture for today, May 10 (5/10), is 1st Peter 5:10 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong and firm and steadfast. To him be the power forever and ever.”

This earth is not meant to be your paradise, to be your eternal home. This earth is just the foyer. God stands at the door to heaven and calls you.

Are you too busy watching over things here to look over at his door? Are you too caught up with temporary things of this world to stop and listen for God?

Is there too much noise in your life? The noise of problems with job, home, family, government, neighbors, health? The noise of getting a better job, home, family, government, neighbor, health? Remember, you are only in the foyer.

Life is not always easy. Do you have the stamina to not be sidetracked? Do you have the fortitude to keep walking toward God’s door?

God can make you strong and firm and steadfast if you will stop the noise and listen for him. God can make you strong and firm and steadfast if you keep your eyes on his door.

You’re not home yet.

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Pearls Cover-Palms-300dpi-Thumbnail365 PEARLS OF WISDOM: GOD’S SOUL TO YOURS.  This second of the trilogy, Touching God, provides a daily short saying from the ancient sheik, Job, from King David’s psalms, and from his son King Solomon’s Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs. Job lived some thousand years before David and Solomon; yet we see the same wisdom of God shines forth in every millennium of mankind. To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://bit.ly/365PearlsOfWisdom   

365 Pearls of Wisdom: God’s Soul to Yours

Shhh. Do you hear? Jesus is calling you

On By Northern Lights Publishing HouseIn #friendships, attitude, ego, faith, judging, love, temptation, thingsLeave a comment

0-BK 4-FolkHero-Cover-Kindle-medium-newThe scripture for today, May 6 (5/6), is Song of Solomon 5:6 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

“I opened [the door] for my lover, but my lover had left; he was gone. My heart sank at his departure. I looked for him but did not find him. I called him, but he did not answer.”

Jesus is the lover of your soul. He hears you knock, so opens the door for you. But you are now sidetracked. Perhaps you’re now spending all your time thinking about material things. His heart sinks when you run away from him. Oh, how his heart aches with loneliness for you.

So, Jesus goes out looking for you. He looks everywhere you go. He calls you by name. But perhaps your life is so full of the noise of doing and going and accomplishing, that you do not hear him.

Stop! Allow some quietness into your life. Then listen. Shhh. Do you hear? Jesus is calling for you.

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0-BK 4-FolkHero-Cover-Kindle-medium-newTHEY MET JESUS:  FOLK HERE.  Crowds grew from hundreds to thousands to tens of thousands.  People from nearby nations heard of his fame and came to look for him.  Some were loyal.  Some were fickle. Religious leaders cornered him, theologians stalked him, The wealthy helped him.  For commoners, he conquered demons, controlled nature, created food, And destroyed death. Hometown friends tried to kill him, While cousin John gained a glory home.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://bit.ly/2U4kZ7L   

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Is that what you really want?

On By Northern Lights Publishing HouseIn attitude, Daily, eternity, judging, problems, thingsLeave a comment

Pearls Cover-Palms-300dpi-ThumbnailThe scripture for today, April 25 (4/25), is Proverbs 4:25 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

“Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.”

There are a lot of interesting and fun distractions in life, so we have to remind ourselves over and over what is most important to us. We have only so much time in a day and in a lifetime. We can run back and forth from one side road to another; one fun thing to another, one power thing to another, one great–looking thing to another.

Before we know it, we have been on that side road a long time. Too long actually.  We can barely see the main road we were on before. And God? He is now so far away. How can that be?  We were always told God would always be there for us.

But God pretty much treats us the way we treat him. If we don’t like being around him, he doesn’t much like being

around us. If we don’t like listening to his word (the Bible), he doesn’t much like listening to our word (prayer). If we don’t like to spend special time with him, he doesn’t much like to spend special time with us. God gives us the same courtesy we give him. God will not force himself on us, for he is a Gentleman.

So what do you have in your sights to do today? Next year? The rest of your life? What road are you on? Where is it leading you in the long run? Is that what you really want?

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Pearls Cover-Palms-300dpi-Thumbnail365 PEARLS OF WISDOM: GOD’S SOUL TO YOURS: Provides a daily short saying from the ancient sheik, Job, from King David’s psalms, and from his son King Solomon’s Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs. Job lived some thousand years before David and Solomon; yet we see the same wisdom of God shines forth in every millennium of mankind. This is part of the TOUCHING GOD trilogy of daily devotionals. To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this……….https://bit.ly/3epvDgU

  https://northernlightspublishinghouse.com/365-pearls-of-wisdom-gods-soul-to-yours/

As old as whose hills?

On By Northern Lights Publishing HouseIn attitude, Daily, eternity, good works, Inspirational, judging, thingsLeave a comment

The Scripture for today, April 24 (4/24), is Jeremiah 4:24 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

00-cover-kindle-medium-new“I looked at the mountains, and they were quaking; all the hills were swaying.”

I was living in a village near the bottom of Mt. St. Helens when it blew.  We had lived there for eight years. We had taken our children up to it and gone sledding, building snow forts, making snow angels, the works. 

It was our mountain. Our beautiful mountain. It reminded me of an upside-down ice-cream cone.  It was perfect in every way.  Everyone knew it was a volcano, but it had formed thousands of years before and would continue like it was for thousands of years in the future. It was our mountain, and it belonged to us to do with as we pleased.

But it wasn’t our mountain.  One morning I looked outside. It seemed as though we had been plunged into the inside of a furnace with all its ashes. I stared. It was snowing gray ash.  I stared more, wondering what the birds had done.  Relieved, I saw them huddled together under bushes.

Of course, the radio and TV had switched to Emergency. We were told to stay indoors because ash is deadly to the lungs. If we did go out, we had to wear surgical masks. If we drove, we were told to put nylons over the air filter and to not go over 10 mph.  Even then, the ash flew everywhere. Our freeway entrance and exit were blocked. The most disturbing thing I heard on the radio (yes, everyone kept their radio on) was that we were at the top of the San Andreas Fault.  And so, we like the birds, huddled and waited for more unknown.

Not only was our mountain turned inside out, but our world was too.

People have expressions that something is “as eternal as the mountains” or “as old as the hills.”  Not true. Nothing on earth is eternal. That also includes things, people, power, position, belongings, even dreams.  Eventually, they quake and sway and are gone. Only that which is spiritual is forever.

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00-Cover-KINDLE-Thumbnail-NewAPPLIED CHRISTIANITY: A HANDBOOK OF 500 GOOD WORKS.  Every possible type of good work is included in this book, along with step-by-step methods. Something for everyone, whether you have 10 minutes a day or 1 hour a day available. Letter writing, benevolence, works for and by the handicapped, newcomers, military personnel, university students, works for Bible school class children to do, crafts, keeping your home, workplace by employee and employer, church office, worldwide missionary work, works for seniors, assisted-living homes, nursing homes, loss of loved ones, telephoning, prayer warriors, prayer partners, home Bible studies, heavenly reward. For individual use, small and large congregations, small towns, big cities, old people, young people, active or paralyzed. There is something everyone can do. To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this: https://bit.ly/APPLIEDCHRISTIANITY 

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Singing to the Lover of my Soul

On By Northern Lights Publishing HouseIn attitude, church, ego, humility, joy, judging, knowledge, praise, prayer, Thanksgiving, things, truth, worshipLeave a comment

COVER-Music-thumbMy heart with all its vulnerabilities reaches for you and  sings to the lover of my soul , the God of heaven and earth. The strings of my heart tremble and vibrate, then rise up in loving strains. From earth to heaven, from my heart to yours, my spirit to yours. Transcending worlds, my song spreads its laughter and sighs and rests in you. Be ever my song.

Lord, I went to some friends’ house and they had a beautiful new carpet. It was lush and deep and soft to walk on. I keep thinking about it and wondering how I could get such a carpet for myself. How selfish and greedy.  There are orphanages struggling to stay open. There are preachers who have trouble supporting their families. How can I think about carpet when their needs are so great? Forgive me please.

Thank you, God, for making me move to an area where not as many people believe in you. I will no longer take your church for granted. I have struggled so much here trying to expand your kingdom. It’s been so hard. Now I understand their struggles. I thank you for your strength that keeps me on course in a wilderness. I thank you for your example of courage and concern. You went everywhere seeking and saving the lost. And thank you for the church around the world, both small and large. They are your crown jewels.

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COVER-Music-thumbRESTORATION REPRINT LIBRARY:  INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC IN THE PUBLIC WORSHIP OF THE CHURCH. This book is head-and-shoulders above any other printed the last hundred years on the subject.  This staunch Presbyterian uses this book as a last stand, appealing to Presbyterians worldwide to maintain their purity of worship without a musical instrument at a time when most in his denomination had already purchased an organ or piano and had no intention of going back to the old ordinary ways.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://bit.ly/Worship-Music 

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